NameCensus.

UK surname

Laurens

A surname derived from the Latin name "Laurentius", meaning "from Laurentum".

In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Laurens surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 124, ranked #26,975, up from #29,793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ceredigion, Shropshire and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Laurens is 124 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 359.3%.

1881 census count

27

Ranked #29,793

Modern count

124

2016, ranked #26,975

Peak year

2016

124 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Laurens had 27 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016, ranked #26,975.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 49 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Laurens surname distribution map

The map shows where the Laurens surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Laurens surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Laurens over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1 #33,412
1861 historical 40 #28,970
1881 historical 27 #29,793
1891 historical 36 #31,465
1901 historical 35 #30,194
1911 historical 49 #27,894
1997 modern 95 #27,638
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 119 #24,733
2002 modern 121 #24,984
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 108 #27,684
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 117 #27,557
2011 modern 113 #27,967
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 122 #27,122
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 124 #26,975

Geography

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Where Laurens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ceredigion, Shropshire, Middlesbrough, Wiltshire and North Lincolnshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ceredigion 010 Ceredigion
2 Shropshire 023 Shropshire
3 Middlesbrough 009 Middlesbrough
4 Wiltshire 039 Wiltshire
5 North Lincolnshire 012 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Laurens

These lists show first names that appear often with the Laurens surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Laurens

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Laurens, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Laurens surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Laurens household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Laurens is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Laurens is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Laurens falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Laurens is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Laurens, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Laurens

The surname Laurens originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Roman name Laurentius, which itself comes from the Latin word "laurus" meaning laurel or bay laurel tree. The laurel wreath was a symbol of honor and victory in ancient Rome, so the name may have signified someone living near a laurel grove or having some connection to laurel trees.

Early spellings of the name included Laurens, Laurence, and Laurent. The name first appeared in French records from the 12th century, such as the Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Père de Chartres in 1161 which mentions a "Guerinus Laurens". It was a common surname in regions like Normandy and Brittany.

One of the earliest notable people with the surname was Jean Laurens (c. 1310-1390), a French cleric who served as the bishop of Nîmes from 1361 to 1364. Another early example is Henri Laurens (c. 1365-1429), a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War.

The Laurens surname spread across Europe as French migrants settled in other regions. For instance, it took root in Spain, where Pedro Laurens (c. 1480-1547) was a famous Spanish architect who designed the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo.

In England, the name appeared as early as the 13th century, with records mentioning a John Laurens in Somerset in 1273. One of the most famous English bearers of the name was Henry Laurens (1724-1792), an American merchant and revolutionary leader from South Carolina who served as President of the Continental Congress.

Over time, the surname branched into various spellings like Laurence and Lawrence in English-speaking countries. John Laurence (1668-1732) was an English churchman who served as chaplain to King George I. Another notable example is Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), a highly acclaimed English portrait painter who was elected President of the Royal Academy in 1820.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Laurens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Laurens surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Channel Islands leads with 191 Laurens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 303.13x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 191 303.13x
Kent 6 0.83x
Durham 5 0.79x
Lancashire 5 0.20x
Cheshire 4 0.85x
Middlesex 2 0.09x
Berkshire 1 0.63x
Devon 1 0.23x
Essex 1 0.24x
Somerset 1 0.29x
Surrey 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Helier in Channel Islands leads with 95 Laurens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 463.19x.

Place Total Index
St Helier 95 463.19x
St Lawrence 59 3430.23x
St Saviour 19 545.98x
St Peter 9 494.51x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 40.49x
West Derby 5 6.77x
Ramsgate 4 33.78x
St John 4 333.33x
Birkenhead 3 8.02x
Grouville 2 113.64x
Camberwell 1 0.74x
East Horndon 1 270.27x
Glastonbury 1 35.84x
Great Neston 1 64.52x
Ifield 1 2000.00x
Old Windsor 1 54.05x
St Brelade 1 61.73x
St Clement 1 104.17x
St Lawrence 1 20.04x
St Mary 1 136.99x
St Pancras London 1 0.58x
St Stephen Coleman Street 1 133.33x
Withycombe Rawleigh 1 43.29x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Laurens surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Laurens surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 18
George 13
Philip 10
Edward 5
Jean 5
Alfred 4
Elie 3
Francis 3
Albert 2
Elias 2
Frederick 2
William 2
Abr. 1
Abraham 1
Amice 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Chas.Fras. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Guillaume 1
Harry 1
Helena 1
Henry 1
James 1
Joshuer 1
Phillip 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Laurens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Laurens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Laurens surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Laurens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016. That gives Laurens a modern rank of #26,975.

What does the Laurens surname mean?

A surname derived from the Latin name "Laurentius", meaning "from Laurentum".

What does the Laurens map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Laurens bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.